Steve G

I was chatting to the postie yesterday. He was moaning about the price of old footy programmes (which he collects) and how the prices have suddenly gone mad and he isn't winning any. We agreed it was a lockdown phenomenon, but I told him the world of rare soul hadn't seen any price inflation at all. LOL.

Frankly if the buyer was in the UK, they would be better waiting until they can fly over and pick it up. VAT and import duty on $10k = c. £1,600 isn't it? Hopefully they won't be asking the seller to put a $5 value on the package LOL or moaning about £8 P.O handling fees .

I am bumping this one because I found another title I am after: Turbo 015 Optimistics - Should I let myself go / Say it baby (Say you Care) All the previous ones are still sought. Cheers.

I am trying to complete my collection of All Platinum related labels. A bit of a minefield with quite a few rarities scattered about, these are the ones I don’t have and any help in sourcing a copy would be appreciated. If you have any of the below that you'd be prepared to part with please PM me with details. Thanks. All Platinum AP 2311 Willie & West?? AP 2319 Willie & Mighty Magnificents - Think Funky Pt 1 and 2 AP 2328 Susan Phillips - Just how long (does this actually exist?) AP 2347 Dave Baby Cortez - Soul Walking Astroscope Astroscope AS 109 We Three Ltd - Girl I’ll Always Love You Astroscope 116? Not sure if these three even exist. Astroscope 120? Astroscope 121? Chanson CH 1181 Unlimited Four - Somebody Help Please / True Love is hard to find. CH 1183 The Street People Incorporated -The Hurt's On Me / Someday We'll Be Together (I know this doesn’t have All Platinum distribution but one side was written by Sylvia Robinson) D’ar J-102 The Internationals - Give a damn / Push button Love (must have Distributed by All Platinum on the label, I have a copy without). Any others with All Plat distribution on the label? Maple 1000 The Chosen Few I can take no chances (only got it on Canyon!) 1004 - Gloria Bares - Old before my time 1005 - Snap Prescott - AIn’t no way Stang 5025 Mark Greene - My Confession of Love (not convinced it exists on this number) 5026 Sylvia - My Thing / Love drops (only Stang 5026 please) 5061 Hank Ballard with “Love On Love” instrumental B side only Turbo 014 Blood Brothers Black is so bad (issue with Walkin’ on B side if poss and not Turbo 029 release please) 016 Groundhog with B side not one sided. 020 Willie & West - Attica Massacre - Ha Ha I know!! 027 New Sound - Na Na Na Also any photos, ephemera, curios etc. (not press cuttings) potentially of interest too. Thanks, Steve

Has to be "Depends" I would have thought. One venue I DJed at for years had a second room for "downbeat" sounds, it was very successful and attracted a different set of people who would come because the 2nd room was there. Alternatively, I heard of one second room with about 10-20 people in (8 DJs and occasional "walk ins" where DJs weren't paid at all, on the basis it was some sort of "vocational" thing.

Worse when the second room is just another "tired oldies" room but a different "genre" of "tired oldies".

Got the large majority of my collection pre internet, helped not just by lists, visits, listening and digging but also by regular trips to the USA for my employer which took me to the uSA and Canada over 50 times. I would say post internet has opened up more sources for records. Things that were never really seen before. Part of that is, I suspect, due to old record guys retiring and clearing their old stock etc. On balance I prefer the internet world, if there is something I want I can spend some time trying to source a copy. Saves writing loads of letters etc. Just stay away from trophy records and you can have endless fun. That is what collecting is about isn't it?

Yes it is a publishers acetate (Flo-Mar) and yes it is almost certainly Jo Armstead who worked there with Ed Silvers, Artie Wayne and Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. As it is a female vocal the only other possibility within Flo Mar is Val Simpson, and although she did do imitations of how she imagined songs being sung, this sounds lime Armstead.

I might have a spare couple of later Backbeats in the loft, possibly 20 and 21, if you don't get them Chalky.

Am after the following UK Demos to complete collection for these artists. Many thanks if you can help. Howard Tate - Baby I love you / How blue can you get Howard Tate - Stop / Shoot 'em all down Garnet Mimms - it was easier to hurt her.

Looking for two Garnet Mimms UK R&W demos "it was easier to hurt her" UA 1090 and "My baby" UA 1153. Thanks Steve

Looking for one of these if anyone has one to sell? Steve

Nialations sorted. Still after Richard Parker, Eliminators and Exit 9 issue copies. Also Total Eclipse LP (77007). Thanks.

Looking for a copy of "Don't make me blue" on Luau. Cheers Steve

Good morning, Looking to complete my BRC collection and upgrade a couple of M/S demos to issues. Does anyone have any of these they'd be willing to part with please?: Nialations “Every time” Richard Parker “Lets TCB” Eliminators “Blood donors needed" Exit 9 “I owe you completely” Cheers Steve

I agree with most of that Baz, but would question the average age of UK scene - over 60 now I would have thought. It's difficult to predict what will happen, but contrary to Russ's wish, it was the rare soul events here in the UK that were thinning out pre Covid, especially some of the Nighters. Back to the age of the attendees again I guess and willingness to travel distances. If the foundations are weak it takes less for the house to fall down. We've said it for years but for that scene to survive there needs to be appeal for a younger generation. Apart from the 100 Club I don't see enough of that to sustain a scene going forward. I know some are 'chomping at the bit' to get onto a dancefloor, as others have said a lot seem to be finding other ways of enjoying the music (podcasts, these so called "Bedroom DJs"., online alldayers etc.) or just other things to do with their lives, like gardening, bowls and walking ha ha!. When a form of 'normal' returns, I reckon after an initial 'spurt' that there will be a lot less venues and for much of what survives the quality of music on offer will appeal to the lowest common denominator. Sorry, but my glass is only half full now!

Always a Randy sound in my book, probably West Hampstead?

She was a top artiste right from her first single on Deep City (and her 2nd single on Solid Soul). Never deteriorated and a great stage show right until last year.

Looks as if we have lost Betty according to twitter reports.

Interesting graph there MF. Thanks for sharing.

I agree Mick. I suppose the writing was on the wall a few years ago when KFC ran out of chicken and the country went into meltdown, calling the police etc. I don't think it's 5-10% selfish people, more like 50-75%. We as a nation have lost the plot unfortunately.

We don't know. I understand that there are at least two more strains of the virus which have started up. It is likely to mutate like most viruses, so this immunity once infected is guesswork at this point. Make your own minds up, but it was Katie Hopkins suggesting "chickenpox parties".

They are saying the virus can live on surfaces for up to a week. So stair rails, doors, tables, chairs, walls, toilets etc. in all venues need to be clean. Can you be sure they have been cleaned?

That isn't actually correct. Perhaps I should have been a bit clearer, you would need all risks / all cause coverage, not limited perils. And of course no exclusion for communicable diseases. There are many such policies, though I will concede that coverage will now be getting considerably harder to find.

Large promotors should consider purchasing event cancellation insurance if they haven't already done so. Probably too expensive for the 100-200 events, but certainly for large weekenders etc. May be too late, I haven't checked but I suspect premium rates have gone right up in the last month and as it is a known subject there may already be exclusions in place for new purchasers of the product.